Dancing In Blue
by BeverlyQueen
Summary: A little Beverly and Will friendship, during the hiatus between Nemesis. A bit R/T but mostly just friendship.


**Dancing in Blue – Crusher/Riker**

The soft melody of the music was the only sound in the room; the sun was shining bright through the glass windows in the far wall. Cream curtains were pulled back with a delicate gold chain attached to the wall. The room was spacious with mirrors covering the left wall; the floor was furnished sandalwood that shone in the afternoon sun.

The lone figure in the room moved swiftly and in time with the melody that floated from the piano that was seemingly playing itself. The ivory keys play in time to the notes that adorned the page of old sheet of music paper that turned its self every page.

The music softened as did the movements of the figure. Her red tresses were pulled into a neat bun at the back of her head. Her legs were covered in black leggings, her top made of material of the smoothest silk that wrapped around her body. On her feet were pale pink ballet shoes with the ribbon wrapping and twisting around her ankle.

The last notes of the piano resounded through the room as all was silent except for the heavy breaths of the figure that was now still.

His piercing blue eyes followed her as she dropped her hands to her waist, her breathing still laboured from the dance she'd just finished.

Clapping startled her from her thoughts as she looked up to see her audience. He was standing there leaning against the oak doors that entered the room. His brown hair was messed up and his blue eyes shining bright with a hint of mischief. He unlike her was still in his uniform, probably meaning he just got off his shift.

Entering more into the room he smiled at her as he approached her. "If the captain saw you do that he would be impressed" he picked up the towel that was draped over one of the ballet railings.

"You tell him Will, and your next physical will be your last" warned Beverly as she grabbed the towel off him.

"Alright, alright" said Will holding up his hands over in a surrendering motion,

"What do you want?" asked Beverly untying her hair from the bun as she looked up at him "you didn't just come here to watch me dance"

"Well….I….um…..don't know how to dance very well" mumbled Will looking down

"What was that?" asked Beverly

"I…um….can't dance very well" mumbled Will again

"Will, you're going to have to speak up I can't hear you" said Beverly grinning

"Fine, I can't dance very well" said Will

Beverly grinned again as she walked over to a bag resting on a chair, picking up a water bottle she turned and smirked at him.

"YES Beverly I can't dance" said Will

"Then how'd you get through all those balls and things that we had to go to all these years" said Beverly

"I don't know, I winged it" said Will "it's that this wedding really means a lot to Deanna and I really want to do this for her"

"Okay"

"I really love her and I don't want to lose her….wait what?" Will stopped in midsentence

"I said okay" said Beverly

"What?" said Riker

"I'll teach you to dance" said Beverly smiling, walking over to the wall and ordering a pair of sweats and a shirt. Throwing them at him she smirked "go on Tap dance get changed"

Will smiled and ducked behind the doors to the bathrooms down the hall. Beverly shook her head as the music from the piano began to play again. As the soft melody of Swan Lake filled the room, automatically she began to move, her movements fluid and in time with the piano's music.

Will finished getting dressed and walked back to the hall his uniform carefully folded under his arm. He heard the music first, soft melody that sounded familiar, something that Deanna sometimes listened to when they were relaxing in their quarters. Something Beverly had told her about, a story of a swan.

Turning the corner, the next thing he saw was Beverly dancing to the melody, each movement fluid and in time with the notes that rang clearly through the room. Watching her dance was a sight to behold.

Her face was at peace as she danced the lines around her mouth and eyes seemed to disappear, her muscles relaxing and her mind content.

As the music ended Beverly went up on her points to finish the dance. With the last twirl her ankle twisted underneath her and a resounding crack echoed around the room. As Will ran forward, she collapsed onto the wooden floor.

"Beverly!" said Will catching her in mid fall and gently lowered her to the floor.

"I'm alright Will, I just misjudged the last turn" said Beverly

"Bev, you're definitely not aright your ankle is probably broken and I'll be murdered if I let you walk down to sickbay by both the Captain and Deanna" said Will "so let's go Cupcake"

Bending down he scooped her up in his arms and headed out of the holodeck. The whole way down Beverly kept struggling in his arms.

"Beverly stop squirming, I'm going to drop you" said Will as the entered the turbolift

"Put me down" Beverly began tickling his sides

"Beverly Cheryl Crusher stop moving" yelled Will as they exited the turbolift and through the doors of sickbay "attention all medical staff, your worst patient has arrived"

Nurse Ogawa looked up as they entered and smiled at the sight of the First Officer of the USS Enterprise-E carrying its Chief Medical Officer, whose left foot was twisted at an old angle, both officers were dressed in workout clothes and Beverly had ballet shoes on her feet.

At the First Officer's remark she smiled as she retrieved the medical equipment to fix her commanding officer's foot.

Will dumped Beverly one the biobed and laughed at her pouting face. "Get over it, Crusher"

"Will you just carried me halfway through the ship like a child" whined Beverly

"Well your acting like one" said Will as he lent against the opposite biobed and cross his arms.

Beverly didn't respond, just mimicked his actions and pouted again.

"If the captain saw you doing that" said Will "He'd….well I don't know what the hell he'd do"

"He'd smile awkwardly and walk away" said Beverly as Ogawa began heeling her ankle. "don't swear"

"Sorry Mum" said Will

"There you go Dr Crusher your ankles all healed, I'd suggest taking it easy for the next…." Began Ogawa

"Couple of days and no dancing, I know I know" said Beverly jumping out off the biobed and instantly regretting it when a shooting pain shot up her leg.

"Well done Doctor" said Riker as he steadied her.

"Shut up Bambi" said Beverly as the headed out of sickbay "thanks Ogawa"

"Bambi?" asked Will

"I suits you" said Beverly as they entered the turbolift

"Bambi?" said Will "Ten Forward" he instructed the computer "let's get dinner"

"Get over it William" said Beverly as they arrived at the doors at Ten Forward

Entering they headed over to a table near the window. Sitting down Beverly kicked off her ballet shoes and hid them under the table.

"What do you want?" asked Will

"Pizza" said Beverly

"Pizza?" asked Will

"And lemonade" said Beverly

"Pizza and lemonade, geez woman" said Will as he walked over to the replicators.

"What are you having?" asked Beverly

"Normal food"

"Pizza is normal" yelled Beverly

"Whatever"

Will walked over to the replicator and ordered their dinner before heading back to the table and placing the food on the table before handing Beverly her drink.

"Bon appetite" said Will

"You don't even know what that means do you"

"No, but the Captain always says it"

Beverly smiled before tucking into her pizza. Will smiled as he began to eat his own dinner of hamburgers and chips.

Before long, surprising Will entirely Beverly had finished the whole pizza and began stealthily stealing Will's chips.

"Mine!" said Will protectively hiding his chips behind his arm

"But I'm still hungry" whined Beverly

"Woman how much do you eat?!" exclaimed Will "you've already eaten a whole pizza!"

"Shut up Bambi" said Beverly "I worked off all of it when I was dancing, I need food"

"Get your own" said Will

"But that takes the fun out of it"

Finishing off his food, Will cleared their plates off the table and put them on the refresher. Turning back to the table, he helped Beverly up and as they walked through the doors of Ten Forward Beverly gently kissed Will on the cheek.

"Thank you, for everything"

"You're welcome" said Will

Turning down the corridor, they greeted crew members, many of them giving strange looks as two of the senior staff, dressed in workout clothes and the CMO missing shoes were just casually walking down the corridor.

Reaching Beverly's quarters Will smiled as they entered and Beverly flopped on the couch, stretching her newly repaired ankle.

"Damn I forgot my shoes in Ten Forward" she said leaning her head on the back of the couch.

"Don't worry I'll get them later" said Will

"Go get them now" said Beverly kicking his leg

"But I can't be bothered"

"William Thomas Riker go get my shoes"

"Make me" said Will

"Oh I can" said Beverly

"What did the doc say about keeping off the leg for strenuous activities?" smirked Will

"Stuff you and my medical staff"

Jumping off the couch Will stood up and headed over to the door "fine I'll go and get them"

"And go home, Deanna must be wondering where you are"

"What about dance lessons?" asked Will

"Take a raincheck"

Will smiled and headed out of her quarters. Heading back up to Ten Forward he grabbed the pair of ballet shoes under the table and headed back to the crew quarters.

"Computer is Beverly Crusher in her quarters"

"Affirmative"

"Is she asleep?"

"Affirmative"

"Is she still on the couch?"

"Please reinstate the command"

"Never mind"

Will smiled and headed over to his quarters. Keying in the command codes he walked into his quarters and dropped the ballet shoes on the table before heading towards the bedroom. He smiled as he noticed Deanna fast asleep on the bed. Taking off his clothes, he pulled back the sheets and slipped in next to her. After a moment of staring at her peaceful features, he rested his head on hers and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Beverly opened her eyes the next morning and looked over at her bedside table. A pair of newly replicated ballet shoes lay next to her old ones, on top of them lay a note.

_For when the dance starts again – W.R _


End file.
